Power BI Streaming Dataset with Excel - Using Flow to keep dataset updated

[shanecosgrove]

Hi,

I am running into a problem with my streaming dataset. The data for the streaming dataset is rendered from an excel file stored in onedrive for business. I use flow to list all rows in the excel table every 1 minute and then update the Power Bi Streaming Dataset.

This works fine the first time the flow runs. However when the flow runs again the data get duplicated .

For example

Row one has a value of 20 the first time.

The second time the flow runs this value will become 40 then 60 then 80 and do on.

Is there any way to get flow only to add newly entered columns to the streaming dataset.??

[v-bacao-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @shanecosgrove ,

List rows present in a table action will get all the rows in the table and add them to Dataset, so this will happen.

There is no trigger in Excel online connector like When an item is created, so we can't rely on the trigger to detect and get the newly added row.

• The method you could consider is to add an extra column in Excel table to tag whether the row have been added to Dataset. The default value is null.
• Use Condition to filter out the row with this field empty and add it to Dataset. After adding the current row to Dataset, update this column value.

Image reference:

In addition, it seems that Power BI can directly connect to the files stored in OneDrive for Business as a Dataset, and it can be refreshed automatically. It seems that the effect is better than using Flow.

Hope it helps.

Best Regard

[C_D]

Hey @v-bacao-msft 
Can you share the link to some documentation that details:

"In addition, it seems that Power BI can directly connect to the files stored in OneDrive for Business as a Dataset, and it can be refreshed automatically. It seems that the effect is better than using Flow."

Would be good to have a live link to my sharepoint excel files in power bi